Animated display unit



Sept. 22, 1959 DERRlNGER 2,904,913

ANIMATED DISPLAY UNIT Filed Dec. 9, 1954 V INV EN TOR. PA UL DERR/A/GER BY Sept. 22, 1959 P. DERRINGER ANIMATED DISPLAY UNIT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1954 INVENTOR.

PAUL DERRI'NGER A TO Sept. 22, 1959 p, DERRINGER 2,904,913

ANIMATED DISPLAY UNIT Filed Dec. 9, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet s Q zzvmvrox.

59'' 6 PAUL DERR/NGER A TOR United States Patent O 2,904,913 I ANHVIATED DISPLAY UNIT Paul Derringer, Cincinnati, Ohio v "Application December 9, 1954, Serial No. 474,133 a 1 Claim. or. 40-33 This invention relates to a display unit, and more particularly to a display unit having means for providing a novel, attention-arresting effect.

An object of the inventionis to provide a display unit which includes a rotatable drum provided with translucent and transparent areas for modifying the light rays from a source of light disposed rearwardly' of the drum for producing a novel lighting effect upon an indicia-bearingpanel disposed forwardly of the drum. Another object of the invention is to provide a display unit provided with a rotatable drum which isadapted to be removably associated in spanning relationship with a pair of laterally spaced mandrels, for thereby enabling the user of the unit to conveniently change the drums for obtaining different patterns and varied optical illusions, thereby greatly enhancing-the overall utility of the device.

"A further object of the'invention is to provide a display unit having the hereinabove described characteristics'and which includes an elongate, arcuate reflecting surface rearwardly of the rotatable drum, and-which also includes a flat reflecting surface disposed below and atan inclination with the rotatable drum, wherein the combination of said reflecting surfaces provides a continuously changing and novel lighting effect upon the indicia-bearing-panel.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a display unit which includes a pair of laterally spaced, independently mounted mandrels adapted to receive the opposite edges of a drum disposed in spanning relationship therewith, wherein one of said mandrels is provided with means for continuously rotating it in one direction, and wherein the other mandrel is removably journaled in axial alignment with the first mandrel, said second mandrel being rotated solely by reason of the rotating forces applied thereto through and by reason of the said drum.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a display unit which is compact, highly efficient and which may be supported in a variety of ways, thereby enhancing its overall utility. 1

These and other objects are attained .by the means described herein and as disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

. Fig. l'is a front elevation of a display unit embodying the teachings of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammtic views illustrating the relationship of the light source and the reflectors for illustrating the means by which the drum creates an animated lighting animation eflect on the indicia appearing on the display panel, incident to rotation of the drum.

At the outset it should be noted that I am fully aware of the disclosures of the U. S. patents to Kress, No. 2,583,055; Fioravanti, No. 2,036,032, and Evans, No. 2,199,308. The subject display device embodies structural and functional improvements over the devices disclosed in these patents.

With particular reference now to Figs. 2 and 3, it will ice be noted that the unit comprises a housing 10 including top, bottom, rear and side walls 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20, suitably fabricated from sheet material such as, by way of example, wood, metal, plastic, etc.

The numeral 22 denotes an indicia-bearing-panel which includes translucent areas 24 and transparent areas 26, note Fig. 1. This panel comprises the front portion of the housing, said panel being maintained in place by the peripheral rim 30 and by depending lip 32 of a top subpanel 34 hinged as at 36 to the forward edge of top panel 12. Spring elements 40 and 42 are provided for securely though releasably maintaining panel 22 in desired relationship with the housing.

A pair of mandrels 50 and 52 are mounted in spaced, axial alignment, each of said mandrels including an inclined peripheral surface 54 which is dimensioned to be insertable into the ends of a rotatable drum 60, for securely, though releasably, mounting the drum as illustrated in Fig. 3, in spanning relationship with and between mandrels 50 and 52.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention mandrel 50 is secured to and carried by shaft 56 of anelectric motor denoted generally by the numeral 58, said motor, when energized, serving to rotate mandrel 513 continuously in one direction.

Shaft 56 may be threaded as at 57' for facilitating a removable connection with mandrel 50, such as, by way of example, by means of threaded engagement with a nut or boss 59 secured to and carried by the mandrel.

With particular reference now to Figs. 3 and 4, the

, numeral 70 denotes a bearing block or support having a hinged bearing cap '72 which controls access of bearing 74 with respect to the bearing-receptive channelway 76 of the bearing support. The bearing 74, as best illustrated in Fig. 3, is provided with an annular recess 73 in its peripheral edge in which portions of bearing support 70 and 72 are receivable for thereby securely, though releas ably, locking the bearing in axial alignment with shaft 56 of electric motor 58. Uniformly excellent results have been obtained in those instances in which bearing 74 has been fabricated from nylon or a composition containing nylon. 1

Mandrel 52 is provided with an axial shaft 78 which projects outwardly, that is, away from mandrel 50, said shaft being rotatably receivable within bearing 74.

An elongate light source denoted generally by the numeral 80 is provided along and rearwardly of drum 60 and in substantial alignment with a horizontal plane ex" tending through the axis of the drum. Lightsource 80 may comprise, by Way of example, a fluorescent tube, in which event the numeral 81 denotes a ballast and the numeral 83 a starter, said ballast and starter comprising conventional elements of the fluorescent-tube-circuit.

An a'rcuate reflector is provided rearwardly of tube 80 with its center on a plane passing through the axis of drum 60 and tube 80. In Fig. 2, the arcuate reflector is shown as secured to rear wall 16 of the housing by means of 'a rivet 82.

Numeral 84 denotes a flat reflector which, as best illustrated in Figs. 2, 5 and 6, is disposed beneath and inclined relative to drum 60. The forward or lower end 86 of reflector 34 projects forwardly of the drum and terminates adjacent the bottom or lower edge of panel 22. The upper or rear end of the reflector is disposed adjacent the drum and terminates rearwardly of a vertical axis through the drum. The slope or inclination of reflector 84 is determined by the height of the rearward downturned leg or portion 88 which engages lower wall 14 of the housing. I have found that the inclination of the reflector should be between 3 and 7 with 5 preferred.

Suitable keyhole shaped slots 100 may be provided through rear wall 16 for enabling the unit to be suspended from wall hangers. In addition thereto, supporting means, including a chain 102;, the opposite ends of which are secured by means of fastening elements 104 to top Wall 12, may be provided for enabling the display unit to be freely suspended as illustrated in Fig. 1.

With particular reference now to Figs. and 6, the headed arrows indicated by the letters A, B, C, D, E and F denote generally translucent areas of different colors, Whereas the numerals 110 denote transparent areas which may comprise apertures provided through the drum, or they may comprise clear portions on the drum in those instances wherein the translucent portions are applied, such as, by way of example, by means of a silk screen process, or the like. In Fig. 5 it will be noted that. the light ray denoted by the letter I will be of the same color as segment A within the drum, however the light ray will be modified as it passes, as at 112, through color D of the drum whereby the color of the resultant beam of light J, which passes through panel 22, will be a mixture of colors A and D.

With reference now to light beam K, it will be noted that within the drum this light beam will comprise color F, however as the beam passes through the forward portion of the drum as at 116 it will be modified by color D, thereby giving a resultant colored beam of light K.

'It should be noted that, as best illustrated in Fig. 6, as the drum, rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, ray I will become the same color as light ray J during those periods of time when light ray J is in alignment with and passes through aperture 1101 By the same token the color of light ray K will be the same as light ray K during those periods of time when the beam K passes through transparent portion 110K.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that I have thus provided simple, yet highly effective, means for providing a continuously changing pattern of light which is provided with an overall twinkling effect by reason of the light rays being modified as they pass through the opposite sides of the drum.

With reference again to Fig. 5, it will be noted that in those instances wherein beam 1' is initially aligned with,

apertures 110, a substantially white light will be momen tarily transmitted therethrough as I, but as the drum con,- tinues to turn so that transparent portion 110B is aligned with the right end of ray J, beam I will assume color D.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a series of light rays P, Q, R and S, each of which is clear, since, as of the moment illustrated, they pass through the transparent portions on opposite sides of the drum 60.

The lower, flat reflector 84 enhances the effect of the twinkling illusion and it likewise provides a new and unusual effect in the those instances wherein the level of the sign is such that an observer looking downwardly through transparent portions 26 of panel 22, such as, by way of example, is indicated by the headed arrows 120 of Fig. 5, will observe an unusual and intriguing reverseaction of the rotating drum and its sparkling-color-pro ducing means.

Uniformly excellent results have been obtained in those instances in which the drum 60 is fabricated from a flexible sheet of plastic material. The drum is thus inexpensively produced and easily provided with opaque, translucent and transparent areas by means of printing, silkscreen process, or the like.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that I have provided a simple, yet sturdy display unit having inexpensive yet highly eflective, easily changed means for producing a novel, attention-arresting, animated elfect on panel 22.

It should be understood that various changes in the structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

For use with a display unit including light-modifying means disposed between a light-transmitting indicia-bearing panel, and an elongate .source of light, a light-modifying .means comprising an open ended light-modifying cylinder formed of flexible material, a pair of laterally spaced axially aligned mandrels, each of said mandrels being substantially circular in configuration and having a continuous tapered outer periphery, said mandrels being so disposed that the outer peripheries thereof taper toward one another, said tapered outer peripheries being fr'ictionally fitted within the opposite open. ends of said cylinder whereby the pair of mandrels and cylinder are drivingly'interconnectedwith one another, the end pore tions of said cylinder being disposed at intermediate portions of the outer tapered peripheries. of each of, said. mandrels, said cylinder providing the sole driving interconnection between said mandrels, one of said mandrels being fixed to a drive shaft, means connected to said drivev shaftfor rotating. the shaft, the other of said mandrels being secured. to a stub shaft, .a bearing support having a substantially U-shaped channel formed therein, a bearing for. receiving said stub shaft, said bearing having an, annular recess, and said bearing supportbeing receivedin said annular recess for maintaining the hearing in axial, alignment with said drive shaft, a bearing cap hingedly connected to. said bearing support means, said bearing cap being adaptedto maintain. the bearing in operative position on the bearing support, but permitting removal of saidnbearing therefrom when said. hear.- ing cap is pivoted-awayfrom said bearing.

References Cited inthe file of this patent. UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,065,897 Colvin June '24, 1913 1,515,444 Shephard 'Nov. '11, 1924 1,619,198 Edison Mar. 1, 1927 2,036,032 Fioravanti Mar. 31, 1936 2,446,333- Kennelly Aug. 3, 1948' 2,493,829 Paul Jan. 10, 1950 2,583,055 Kress et al Jan. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 54,658 Denmark Apr. 11, 1938 233,022 Great Britain Apr. 27, 1925 1,029,880 France June 8, 1953- 

